A Beautiful Lie
by toinfinityandbeyond23
Summary: DxS. They say popular people are nothing but lies. Sam challenges Danny to win Paulina over without telling her his secret. He has 14 days to do it. He must prove Sam wrong or risk humiliating himself in front of the school. Will he be able to do it?
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I have decided to try my hand at a song-story. I don't call it a songfic because it will not include all of the lyrics in one chapter. Each chapter will have a separate lyric as a title. I saw it in another 'series' and I decided that I would try it. I plan to do a songfic later on, though.**

**_Disclaimer_- I do not own Danny Phantom or any related characters. They are the sole property of Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon Studios. I also do not own 'A Beautiful Lie'. 30secondstomars does.**

**I also know that this chapter may seem short and a bit rushed, but this is my first try at this type of thing, so cut me some slack, if you don't mind.**

_(General POV)_

* * *

_**Lie awake in bed at night**_

* * *

****

Sun shone through the windows at Casper High School in the small town of Amity Park. A trio was in Mr. Lancer's English class and none were enjoying it. Samantha Manson sat doodling at her desk, totally blocking out Mr. Lancer's lecture on correct paragraph formation. Daniel Fenton sat-slept at his desk; drool coating all of the papers on the desktop. Tucker Foley sat staring off into space, thinking about another teen by the name Valerie Gray beside him.

"…Correct punctuation of sentences with…" droned the aging overweight teacher. He had his eyes closed and was pointing occasionally to the blackboard behind him. Warmth from the sun was making him sweat, along with the rest of the class.

The lunch bell rang and it awakened everyone from his or her dreamlands or in Danny's case, slumber land. The sound of shuffling feet and rustling papers echoed the classroom and the outside hallway.

"I swear", began Sam, "that one of these days, I'm going to cut that class. I'm tired of sitting in a hot sweaty classroom, listening to a fat English teacher drone on about something you absolutely don't care about." She stopped at her locker and began twisting the combination to stow away her books to go to lunch.

"I already know everything that he's saying anyway", stated Tucker, pulling out his PDA from his pocket. "According to my PDA, if Danny does not hurry putting away his stuff, we will be three minutes late to lunch, meaning we will have to wait in line longer…"

Sam ignored Tucker, trying to help Danny wake up from his evidently peaceful slumber. "Danny wake up…"

Said boy shook his head and rubbed his eyes and stretched. Muscle tone was clearly visible beneath his thin white shirt. "I'm so sleepy Sam. That idiot that calls himself Klumper got out last night, so I had to deal with him, then trying to get the infamous 'Will you be my friend?' out of my poor head. I don't blame myself for sleeping in that class…it's lame anyway."

"Confession to sleeping in class, eh, Mr. Fenton? Detention, tomorrow. Don't be late", growled Mr. Lancer. "You really should have paid good attention today, you know. After all, you do have a three hundred word essay coming up in…oh, a day. Afternoon, Mr. Fenton." The teacher began making his way through students to get to the cafeteria.

Danny's shoulders slumped. "Oh well. At least I got my sleep in so I don't sleep in any of my other classes."

"Hurry up Danny!" came Tucker's urgent voice. "The sloppy joe's are going to be gone!"

Sam's nose wrinkled. "You guys go on. I'll head over to the salad bar…eating food that we've grown, not killed."

Tucker shrugged. "Suit yourself. I've tried to get you to eat meat and you won't. Come on Danny."

Danny nodded and followed Tucker, Sam close behind.

Noise of people chattering away about the latest gossip and who's going with who reached the trio's ears. Sam caught Danny staring at Paulina Sanchez, the Mexican-American who thought she ruled the school. Too bad she only ruled ninth grade. (There's no way a senior would let a freshman rule the school.)

Sam's look darkened, glancing from her to Danny. Paulina caught Sam glowering at her and strode over.

"Um, Goth freak? Do you have a problem?"

"No, not at all", answered Sam through clenched teeth. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Ok, then why are you looking at me like that for? Afraid your boyfriend is looking at someone better?"

"Danny is _not_ my boyfriend, Paulina. And stop saying he is."

"Whatever loser. There's no way he has a chance with me anyway. Unless", she began, her look turning seductive, "he can bring me the ghost boy. Then he can have me and dump you."

Danny's eyebrows rose and Tucker stood staring, the blankest look on his face Casper High has ever seen.

"See you around, Danny. Later losers." She turned slowly and swished her way back over to where Dash and Star were.

Sam clenched her fists and began to talk normally. "You know what, Danny? If you want Paulina that bad, expose yourself to the world. I can promise you'll regret it."

Danny looked at her.

"Actually, let's play a little game that I'm going to make up. You have 10 school days, and four weekends to win Paulina over-_without_ telling her your secret. If you can do that, I promise I will leave the two of you alone. If you cannot, I want you to tell a girl you like her, in front of the entire school. And I have the power to intimidate you whenever I please. Sound good?"

Danny blinked. He thought for a moment. "Do it Fenton!" he heard his conscience telling him. "This could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing! Go for it man!"

He looked straight at Sam, staring into her amethyst orbs. "I'll do it."

Her face fell slightly, but she kept it straight. "Ok then. You know the one rule and you know the consequence. Good luck."

Tucker's mouth dropped. Sam stood there and made up a challenge that she knew Danny could not resist, even if it meant humiliating himself in front of the school. And Danny had taken it!

"You both are making a mistake", he said, loud enough for them both to hear. "I'm warning you now."

* * *

Later on that day, Sam reached her mansion and went straight up her marble staircase to her enormous bedroom, which was dark purple and was home to many books, candles, and metal CD's and posters.

She flung her book bag to the ground and flounced on her bed. She put her head into her hands and stared into her palms. "What in the world did I just do?"

* * *

Danny stomped up the stairs in his small town home, ignoring his father calling him to test ghost inventions. Jazz was apparently tutoring Dash in the kitchen (_still_).

The hybrid-boy opened his bedroom door, which was his favorite shade of blue. He sat down at his desk chair and sighed and spun around.

"I cannot believe I took that challenge. I don't even have her phone number, let alone even know her", he thought. "Tucker was right. We are making mistakes. But I want to prove Sam wrong for some odd reason." He was still spinning steadily. He stopped himself with a touch of his toe on the wood.

* * *

As night came into the Amity metro area, two raven-headed teens climbed into bed, desperately thinking why they did what they did. It made sense at first, but now it seemed a little childish and silly. But they wanted to prove the other wrong.

Each stared at the dark ceiling, trying to fall asleep before the sun woke them up to the first day of the challenge.

**Please review. I am so fed up with people not reviewing. 20+ people had Touched on their alert list, and only a little over half had reviewed. I know that I cannot make you review, but please do. I am thinking about letting anonymous reviewers review. You will make me very angry if I see that this is on your favs or alert lists and you did not review. I am so tired of that. It makes you feel like your being cheated in a way. But that's just me. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all.**

**Yes, here is the next chapter to A Beautiful Lie. It's all coming together and the next chapter (s) will be up soon.**

**_Disclaimer-_ I do not own Danny Phantom or any related characters. They are the sole property of Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon Studios. I also do not own 'A Beautiful Lie'. 30secondstomars does.**

_(General POV)_

* * *

_**And think about your life**_

* * *

Danny Phantom panted in while in mid-air. "Geez, does this guy _ever_ give up?!" he thought.

He flew over behind a large abandoned building to regain his strength and breath, hoping that the infamous Skulker did not see him. By the time Danny opened his eyes, he realized that it was getting light outside and school was to start in about two hours. A shadow formed behind him.

"You cannot hide from me, ghost child", came a sinister, deep voice. The sound of metal clanking and machine guns powering up made his ecto-blood run cold. He turned slowly.

The young ghost hunter opened his mouth to retaliate, but a chirpy beeping sound filled the air around them. He closed his mouth and grinned. "I thought you had some place to be, Skulker."

Said ghost's eyes darkened. His wings emerged from his back and he flew off relentlessly, staring down at Danny. "Soon, ghost child, soon."

The silver-haired teen shook his head and began to speed back home and get there before his alarm clock went off.

Chilly early-morning air whipped his face. The challenge he had accepted from Sam dawned on him. His eyes reverted towards the speeding ground.

"Why did Sam have to do that for? I'll never win, and my sensitive self will never stand up to what Sam will say to me if I don't win. Paulina hates all three of us, and now Sam's making it worse", he said aloud. He shook his head. "But I want to do it for some odd reason."

He seeped through his bedroom window, right when his clock struck seven and his alarm started beeping. Danny sighed and strode over to turn it off. "Another four hour sleep. I've got to think of another class to sleep in today other than Mr. Lancer's", he thought. He slapped his forehead. "Lancer! I have detention today! _Dead gummit_!"

He changed back into his alter ego-the non-ghost hunting, scrawny, gawky teenager Danny Fenton. He slipped out of his blue-striped pajamas and into his normal attire.

He fumbled down the stairs, ignoring Jazz's protests of no breakfast. "Danny, you've got to eat! Your brain won't function right unless you do!"

The raven-headed boy walked into the alley next to his small town home and changed, once again, into Phantom. He pushed off from the ground and began the trek to school.

It had warmed up some, and Danny liked that a lot.

He stopped behind a tree next to the school's property and, once again, changed into Fenton. He jogged over to his red-bereted friend. "Hey Tuck."

Said boy turned. He looked Danny up and down. "Hey."

Danny did the same but spun around. "What? Is there something on me?"

Tucker shook his head. "No." He slid his PDA back into the pocket of his green cargo pants. "I'm just a little confused. And upset."

Danny's face softened. "About what? The challenge?"

Tucker nodded. "Danny, why'd you do it?"

Danny looked at the ground. "I don't know. I guess I want to prove Sam wrong."

His bespectacled friend took off his glasses and cleaned them off with his shirt. "You do know this is destroying your friendship, right? Something you've worked on for about ten years. And now I'm stuck in the middle. This is going to be different. I'm not going to be you guys' message monkey in case you stop talking." He glanced over Danny's shoulder and past a few trees. "There's Paulina. And she's alone."

Danny turned. His puppy face took over his current expression. Tucker rolled his eyes. "You'd better go, Danny. Because here comes Sam."

Danny nodded and walked over to the Spanish beauty. "Hey Paulina."

Said girl cocked a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Can I help you?"

Danny blinked. His hands immediately went to his pants waist. "Err…yeah. I was wondering…would you like to meet the ghost boy?"

Her eyes brightened. "Meet the ghost boy? Of course, Danny! Where is he, is he here?" she said, looking around.

"No, he's out on patrol. But give me your phone number and I can promise you he will get back to you." The hybrid-teen leaned against a large oak tree.

Paulina's smile faded. "Um, ok I guess."

Danny beamed internally and stood normally again watching Paulina take a strip of paper and a pencil out of her book bag. She scribbled a number on it and handed it to Danny.

"Is this your number?"

Paulina nodded. "_Si_."

"Oh, well ok then. I'll see you later." Danny stuffed the number in his pocket and looked at Paulina's cerulean eyes. She stared back. A seductive grin appeared on her face.

"I'll talk to you later, Danny."

His hands went back to his pants waistline. "Sure. Later."

Paulina waved a dainty hand and swished her way into the school's front door.

Danny knew Tucker was watching the entire thing. The love-struck boy walked back over to him. "See, I told you I could do it."

Tucker's eyebrows raised and he pursed his lips. "I saw."

Danny grinned proudly. "So Sam's losing. That's good."

Tucker's eyes narrowed. "No Danny, that's not good. And do you know why?"

He shook his head.

"You are hurting each of you! You are doing something you don't want to do just to prove someone wrong. And it's Sam we're talking about. Look at her Danny!"

Danny turned his head to see Sam standing alone under another oak tree. He turned back to Tucker. "So? She shouldn't have challenged me."

The dark-skinned boy wanted to slap Danny right then and there. Instead he clenched his fists. "YOU IDIOT! Danny, Sam likes you! And you're going to stand there and seduce another girl who only likes half of you! Sam likes all of you! There, I said it!". He began rubbing his temples. "It would have been so much easier for all of us if you weren't so bent on doing this. I'll see you later, Danny. Don't bother talking to Sam-she saw you get Paulina's phone number."

Danny watched as Tucker weaved his way through the student body. He shrugged. "I know I'm going to win. And there's nothing she's going to be able to do about it."

But Tucker's words rang in his head. 'You are hurting each of you! Sam likes all of you!' Danny bit his lip and began walking towards the front door of his high school.

The day went by a little too quick for Danny's liking. Classes seemed short and ruthless. At lunch, he decided to try and talk to Tucker.

"Hey Tucker."

The boy turned. His look turned from surprised to disgust. "What's up Danny?" He sighed and continued getting his food.

"Um, I know you're mad at me. But this all Sam's fault. She's the one who challenged me."

"Always someone else's fault, isn't it? You know you can't do this. But hey, your friendship, not mine." He walked off from Danny and sat down at their designated table. Danny sighed and followed.

"Look Tucker…" he began.

"Look at what, Danny? I've already seen enough. Even if it is the first day. Excuse me, but I have some other nerds that want me to sit with them." He looked at Danny. "And you're not invited."

Danny walked out of the cafeteria and into the men's room. He changed into Phantom and flew through the roof.

He flew up quite high, to where no one could see him. He rolled over on his back and propped his head up with his hands.

"This is not going as planned. I didn't know Tucker would diss me", he whispered. "He's right. I am losing my friendship. But I want to do this."

He flew around Amity, the cool afternoon air whipping his face. The town hall clock told him that it was time he head back to school.

The remainder of the day went by without a hitch and before Danny knew it he was standing in his living room drinking a soda and sorting through the mail. Nothing in particular caught his eye so he decided to put his soda back in the fridge. A certain piece of paper fell out of his pocket.

His eyebrows raised and he picked it up, realizing it was Paulina's number. Checking to see if the coast was clear, he strode over to the wall phone and dialed the number.

He listened to it ring, his heart pounding faster than ever before. A voice on the other end said, "Hello, you've reached the rejection hotline!"

**Yes, yes, it was a little short. But the next chappies will be longer, I promise. Now review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey y'all!**

**Yes, this is where the plot begins to thicken. It seems odd because it's only the third chapter, but trust me, we've got a LONG ways to go!**

**_Disclaimer-_ I do not own Danny Phantom or any related characters. They are the sole property of Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon Studios. I also do not own 'A Beautiful Lie'. 30secondstomars does.**

_(General POV)_

_**Do you want to be different?**_

Danny's heart sank lower than the deepest trench in the ocean. "Rejection hotline?" he thought. A person on the other end was telling him how much of a loser he was and that he'd never come in league with his crush. He slowly hung up the phone and sank into a nearby chair.

He sat quietly, letting all of the past events take their tolls on him. Tucker's desperate words of discouragement towards the challenge. Sam's words about the challenge. His own mistakes-losing his friendship, yet gaining popularity among his other peers. It seemed that being popular was his main priority at the time. True friendship clearly didn't matter.

And that he'd have to change-dramatically-in order to fit in.

The next day at school, everyone noticed how 'clean' Danny looked. He wasn't a jock, so a school football jacket was the only thing he lacked. Expensive jeans, a tight plain white shirt, and a pair of the best tennis shoes on the market. And Paulina noticed the most out of them all.

"Fentonio looks good today", she thought. "We'll have to see why."

"_Hola_ Danny!"

Said boy turned at the sound of his name. "Oh, hey…Paulina."

"Look, I am sorry about yesterday, you know, giving you the wrong number. It's that I'm used to doing that. Would you like my actual number?"

His eyes widened. "That would be…great. Thanks."

Paulina smiled her perfectly straight and white smile. She scribbled it down on a strip of stray paper that was on a picnic table nearest them. "Here you go. _De nada_, Danny." He quickly stuffed it in his pocket. "So…what's your first class?"

"Oh, it's science with Senor Wright. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know…" he fumbled.

"By the way, nice outfit. Go shopping last night?"

Danny blinked. He nodded. "Yeah. I…wanted a new wardrobe."

Paulina grinned. "It's nice to see someone trying to look decent. Care to sit with us at lunch?"

Danny's eyes widened. "Sure. I'd…love to."

Paulina flaunted a hand at him in a good-bye gesture. "See you at lunch, then."

Fireworks were exploding in Danny's head. He'd actually gotten a lunch date! With _popular_ people! He didn't know how well this would sit with Dash, but he couldn't care less. This challenge was going to be a piece of cake. All it takes is to lie to yourself and everyone around you.

Tucker saw the entire thing. He shook his head and said, "You know, Nathan, I don't get it." He looked at the large boy next to him.

"I understand. This has got to be taking some toll on you because now you're monkey in the middle, and-WHOA!"

The red-bereted boy jumped in surprise at his friend's sudden outburst. He looked around frantically trying to see what Nathan saw. "Dude, what did you see?!"

Nathan pointed a shaking finger at a certain amethyst eyed-girl. "H-her."

Tucker turned, unprepared for what he would see. His eyes widened at his female best friend. His mouth dropped agape.

Here was Sam, the Goth girl that everyone hated, donned in a black micro-mini skirt, an extremely tight lavender tube top, and pleather boots that stopped about mid-calf. And a very unusual grin was on her face.

Cat calls were being thrown at her at each step she took. Heads turned at every eyelash she batted. The entire Casper High football team started clapping in enjoyment. And the other popular girls were stunned.

Danny came round the corner, feeling great about himself. He stopped when he saw Sam. "What in the seven seas is she _wearing_?!" he thought. He noticed the football team and the looks on other people's faces.

His hands went to his pants waistline again, and his face flushed a deep red.

"She didn't say anything about this!" he mused aloud.

**Extremely short, I know. But me and my evil self wanted to keep all the drama and such until next chapter. Don't worry, things start getting a little…intense.**


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